Seattle asks for more time to comply with police consent decree

The City of Seattle and the Justice Department are asking a federal judge for another 30 days to come up with a plan to get back in compliance with a consent decree related to police reforms.
In May, a judge ordered the city, DOJ, federal monitor and community police commission to come up with a plan by July 15, after finding the city had fallen out of compliance on police accountability. The reasoning related to allowing a new SPD contract, that lets officers appeal disciplinary decisions through an outside arbitrator, rather than a stronger process that came with the city’s new police accountability measures.
Federal judge finds Seattle police out of compliance on accountability
In court filings, the city said it needs more time to engage all parties — and detailed steps it’s already taken and will take — including an upcoming meeting with the Community Police Commission.
“To be clear, this assessment will not start over the decades of work that Seattle, the Department and our community has done towards accountability. Rather, these efforts are to comply with the Court’s order and to continually improve our discipline and accountability systems,” Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said in a statement.
DOJ lawyers side with Seattle police over new contract
A ruling by U.S. District Judge James Robart in May found issue with accountability for disciplined officers, citing concern over one recent incident, where Seattle Officer Adley Shepherd was fired after punching a handcuffed woman in the back of his patrol car. Officer Shepherd was later reinstated by